Kukla's Korner Hockey

Chris Higgins is out of the lineup due to an ailing hand - similar to the staph infection to his foot that sidelined him for two games earlier this month - and will not travel with the team to California, where the Canucks will play the next three games, beginning tonight against the San Jose Sharks.

Higgins, who didn’t skate Tuesday, arrived at Rogers Arena for practice with a swollen hand and was sent to hospital to undergo more tests, said head coach Alain Vigneault.

“We’re not exactly sure what it is, but we’re sort of assuming that it’s the same thing he had on his foot,” said Vigneault.

“The doctor this morning looked at him and his first reaction was he probably has this virus and it’s tough to deal with viruses. So they’re going to do the best they can here to pin-point the exact nature of it.”